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I can't be the only one...

Evil Undead

Evil Undead

Oct 31, 2009
3,844
587
#1
on here who is obsessive about neck measurements. By that I mean string height and relief.

I'm obsessive to the point of driving myself bananas over it. I like very little relief and very low action, and I feel like I just can't play properly if the neck of my bass moves even a fraction of a mm.

There are a couple of causes of this for me.

Firstly my left wrist has been injured plus I have recurring tendonitis in that hand, so the lowest possible set up makes playing bass much less uncomfortable.

Secondly, I've had problems with way too many bass necks (just unlucky I guess) and I also suffer from severe anxiety... so basically the slightest tiniest movement of a neck, or one string keeps going out of tune and I convince myself that it's got severe unfixable problems, which is, in all likelihood, utter carp.

Does anyone else ever feel the tiniest bit like this? I know how picky you guys are about stuff so I'm hoping I'm not alone here :p
 
#2
Nope. If it's comfortable to play, I don't even wave a measuring tool at it. I know there are some of my basses that could be a bit easier to play, but not enough to galvanize me to act.

OTOH, if your left hand needs low action, it's worth taking some time to achieve that.

Hey - this is pretty subjective and individual. Lowering a string 1/64" at the 12th fret isn't going to make you a better musician...although if there's a medical issue and the string is REALLY high, lowering it 1/8" might.
 
#7
I definitely understand a pro tech/luthier using gauges and measuring string heights. They set it once, pat it on the fanny, and send it off into the world. I set the neck straight, eyeball mine in with the bridge, play it hard with a pick (I play fingerstyle), lower till it rattles, raise it a bit, play a while, adjust as necessary, repeat.
It sometimes takes me an afternoon, but I am invariably pleased with the results. The next guy might not like the way it feels, but who cares?
 
#8
a lock down bridge(maybe babicz)and a graphite neck is one way to keep your favorite settings and peace of mind. you just need to find out if you like graphite necks.good luck.ps of coarse pre streched strings and quality machines are a must if you want to set and leave.
 
#10
I am picky about it, but I wouldnt call myself obsessive. Of course it has gotten much better after switching to a graphite neck.

A ramp and a light right hand technique have also made the action less noticeable, at least for me. I was amazed at how the two hands are linked and how much changing one affected the other.
 
#11
Count me as one who is picky about setup. The first two years after I built my current working instrument, I measured the relief periodically to get a feel for the changes it would go through in the southern CT weather swings. When I arrived at a setup that felt great and allowed for the best sound with the least amount of effort, I wanted to measure and record it for reference. When the seasonal expansion and shrinkage kicks in, I make the adjustment by feel- but I do double-check the amount of relief.

If I ever switch to another type of string, the setup and feel will be different and my usual measurements won't necessarily apply.
 
#12
I'm very anal about my setups also, to the point that I've gone ahead and started investing in basic luthier tools to maintain my herd of basses. I've also got weak, easily injured hands so I need the lowest action I can get and still get a good tone.

That said, I never measure anything during a setup with the sole exception of filing the nut slots. There, I file over a feeler gauge of .010 or .008" until the nut file just barely nicks the guage. Everything else - string height and relief - I never use measuring tools and do it all by feel.

Changes in the temp are enough to move my necks to where I notice it, so I just keep the allen wrenches out all the time. When they start to get "fretty" up near the nut, I just loosen the rod a tiny bit and the reverse when it starts feeling stiff up and down the neck.

If I were a healthier player and could tolerate a higher action, I wouldn't need this same level of anality. But just keeping the truss rod wrenches handy helps a lot...

LS
 
#13
I get the neck nice and stright with minimal relief. Then I measure relief and string hieght as a starting point, mostly the E and G strings. Then lower the E string until I get buzz or too much fret clank then raise it until the noise is minimal. Then I set the strings at the bridge with a neck radius gauge.
One question, is there any way to set up the nut without investing in the proper files?
 
#14
My strategy: Basses with really sturdy necks.

Get it ONCE set up by someone that's REALLY knows what he's doing and then use the same strings for a long time (In my case flats, and Fender nickel rounds).

The neck on my P is so sturdy, that I can't even get it to do that fancy neck-headstock-vibrato thingy! That and the fact that a set of flats can last for over a decade means that I never have to look back at it again... Unless something is broken ofcourse.
 
#15
I am the most anal person in my group regarding instrument set up. My guitarist puts strings on it once a year and that's all. My drummer replaces his heads every few years and his stick every few months.

I change my strings once a week (depending on the bass....my fretless and rosewood board basses keep old flats, my maple board get new (or boiled) strings every saturday). One bass get set up with action as low as possible, the other gets dialed in so it doesn't buzz or clank. I adjust my action when I put on the strings, and check on it for the next few days.

I believe setting your action to fit your playing is very important. I have a bass for rock/ metal, one for jazz, and one for everything else. Each has a different set up, string type, and pickup combo.
 
#16
I'm fussy about setup/action, but I go entirely by feel... I don't think I've ever once measured the string height or neck relief (even when working on other people's basses and guitars).

If it feels good and it sounds good, I don't need to know how many 16ths oir 32nds of an inch the strings are away from the fretboard.

Now, having said that; I'm constantly tweaking my action and truss rod, but that's due mostly to the erratic New England weather... Especially this spring (sunny and 78 degrees one week, then rainy and in the 40s the next week).

Your hands will tell you if something's not right.
 
#17
It takes me a good day to get a setup where I want it, because frets are never perfect. I set it up to "spec," then play all over the neck in the various intervals to see where the imperfections are and split the difference accordingly with intonation and string height adjustment and relief. When I'm done, the instrument plays in tune as well as an instrument can with itself, and usually never has to be touched again unless different strings are used, or the instrument is relocated to a different place with different temperature and humidity averages, or a different player with a completely different feel plays it. Yes, as posted above, if the weather goes to extremes, you will have to adjust all instruments accordingly,.
 

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